Friday email

I'm "working in the field" today. Discovered some new thrift shops coming back from a meeting at a garden in Whitestone, Queens. Psyched. No plans to go anywhere this weekend. A friend from college and his woman just moved to DC so they are coming up for Saturday and Sunday. Heather is a major Yankees fan and upon arriving east (from Colorado) I guess tickets were priority numero uno. Shame the season isn't going better for the bombers but they will be so psyched regardless. We're going to send them on the subway up to the Bronx from Astoria - it'll be awesome.

Anyway, I got lists. I should get to 'em. But taking a minute to zone on the couch is pretty dreamy. Dub LP on the turntable thumps heavy. Green bottle, Stella Artois. For now, once, chill.

Happy Labor Day Weekend.

On the stereo:

Sir Melvin of Motorboat

The good news is the little fuzz got his cast off and is on all-fours again. The bad news is that he has to wear this big floppy blue e-collar for a few days so he doesn't lick his uncovered leg to the Nth degree. But we've been having a lot of laughs talking about how he looks like the long-long feline descendant of some crazy old English nobleman from the 1600's.I shall explore this carpet and sniff as the natives do.

Strange bells and whistles, allow me to marvel and swat at your new technology.

Silly, perhaps, but chivalrous, always! En garde play toy!



...Alright, now I've officially put up more posts about Melvin than his mom. And she's the Vet Tech. ...uh oh, getting hooked.

offee Shop

08.14.2008

On the SE corner of 28th and 7th there used to be a Ranch-1. No longer there I was pleasantly surprised when I walked by on my way to the Flower District and found the "offee Shop". I would love to take over a huge old factory or warehouse and turn it into an amazing sign junkyard (museum) where all these things could end up.

Oh sure, just watch those dream funds come rolling in.
Back to my digital projectizing. Happy Sunday.

silly joke courtesy of Hansonii

Girl Potato and Boy Potato had eyes for each other, and finally they got married, and had a little sweet potato, which they called 'Yam.'

Of course, they wanted the best for Yam.

When it was time, they told her about the facts of life.

They warned her about going out and getting half-baked, so she wouldn't get accidentally mashed, and get a bad name for herself like 'Hot Potato,' and end up with a bunch of Tater Tots.

Yam said not to worry, no Spud would get her into the sack and make a rotten potato out of her!

But on the other hand she wouldn't stay home and become a Couch Potato either.

She would get plenty of exercise, but she would not be too skinny like her Shoestring cousins.

When she went off to Europe, Mr. and Mrs. Potato told Yam to watch out for the hard-boiled guys from Ireland, and the greasy guys from France called the French Fries. And when she went out west, to watch out for the Indians so she wouldn't get scalloped.

Yam said she would stay on the straight and narrow and wouldn't associate with those high class Yukon Golds, or the ones from the other side of the tracks who advertise their trade on all the trucks that say, 'Frito Lay.'

Mr. and Mrs. Potato sent Yam to Idaho P.U. (that's Potato University ) so that when she graduated she'd really be in the Chips.

But in spite of all they did for her, one-day Yam came home and announced she was going to marry Tom Brokaw.

Tom Brokaw!

Mr. and Mrs. Potato were very upset.

They told Yam she couldn't possibly marry Tom Brokaw because he's just......

(Are you ready for this?)


(Are you sure?)
*
*
*
*

*

OK! Here it is!

*
*
*
*


A 'COMMONTATER'!!

new music Friday

Well, new to me at least. One of the last times Juan, our musical engineer friend, came over he mentioned a few bands I had not yet heard of. We were talking beats, easy listening as in easy to listen to, indie, electronic, combining the two, and so on. The post-it sat on my desk for a bit but today I finally checked out Faded Paper Figures. And I must say, I can dig it. Can you dig it?!?
( ...and for those of you that instantly repeated the previous sentence a la The Warriors, I applaud you!)

Happy Friday! Give in to some "retail therapy" and treat yourself to some new tunes already.

On the stereo: Faded Paper Figures, Dynamo

self portrait

My father gifted me an extraordinary new camera that I have been playing around with. The Canon G9 is pretty unbelievable. I still have a lot to learn about it.

I read the paper

Every morning I get the paper on the way to the subway. I used to get the Times but eventually converted to one of the freebie papers in the city, namely the Metro. Ultimately I get it for the crossword puzzle, which is rather comical in itself since the Metro crossword is not much of a challenging cerebral exercise to begin with. I can see our old family friend Donald getting irate in my mind and remember fondly his astounding knowledge of the English language. I know technically you can spell amoeba without the "o", but really, who actually does.
Anyway, not the reason I'm writing myself into a silly rant. And yes, I know 1-down was "goop" and not "glop", and it's "n-y-e-t", I got it, I got it.

So, the same page that has the crossword and horoscope also has a little daily opinion piece called "Today's Debate". I rarely bother, but the speedy jostling from Queens Plaza to Lexington Avenue made writing an impossibility so my eyes wandered. It's typically a simple question, asked of three different individuals here in our area. Perhaps I rarely bother because inevitably someone says something that makes me want to scream. And so, today's debate:

Hmm, not a bad question I thought. Jack from Jersey thinks it goes against the spirit of the games. I can see where he is going with that. Matt the financier thinks it is disrespectful to the host country which is communist. Okay, yeah, I understand where he is coming from too. And then, ...

I do realize that they didn't necessarily say "activists in China", but I think it is safe to say, given the recent headlines, everyone read the question that way. And assuming so, um, excuse me? Are you serious?!? Free citizens shouldn't have to limit their free speech out of politeness?!?!?!? I don't even know where to begin with this! That is the dumbest goddamn thing I've heard all week. Are some people actually dumb enough that they do not realize that when you leave America you aren't then actually in America any more? Yeah, wow, take a minute, that is a lot to process. And perhaps those same freedoms and liberties don't apply?

Yeah, wake-up call Gina!

When you are in a communist country you are not a free citizen. And free speech, yeah, they're not so much for that. Thousands of years of history, and the laws that have come from that history, whether just or not, have nothing to do with American narrow-mindedness, or "politeness". Geesh! Trust me, I know, I lived there. It was wild not being able to keep the key to your own room, to be told when you could eat or shower, to be under such a mentally oppressive eye at times. But, in another country you play by their rules because, well, it's their goddamn country. Sure, I developed my own thoughts about what I was shown and what I actually saw, but who are we but visitors? "Polite" my ass. I guess travel and cultures and objectivity aren't popular conversation topics wherever this woman "studies". Oh, ...that's depressing.

Horoscope, Thursday, August 21

It's true. I've been on the Great Search '08 and it has led me to many places. Before getting on the morning train I had a conversation I was thrilled to finally have. Slightly awestruck in fact. Sometimes the horoscope hits a chord, sometimes not. Today was noteworthy. The Great Search '08 is over. I'm on my way back to the dirt.

Sunset Climb

Two years coming I finally got a climbing set-up of my own. (Thanks Wayne!) And thanks to my knot knowledgeable loved ones (Thanks Mike!), it allowed me a fabulous evening climb out back of my folks place. Ah, what a rush to be back in the trees again. Sure was nice up there, even if only briefly. I think it was a sycamore.


I quit while I was ahead and retreated to the Feleppa Ranch.
Nanny got all dressed up in her Sunday best and we sat down to a feast of mussels, clams, and sea bass in a fresh tomato sauce my dad made. Slammin'.

notes from summer

I know this is the never ending question, but how is it that summer always goes so fast? It has been such a busy and wonderful last few weeks we've been having. I can't believe I haven't gotten a post up in so long. There are tons of pics I still have to get posted to flickr but I thought I would add a few quick notes this morning before heading to the office.
In late July we went east to the folks house to catch up with my brothers and Frosty and little miss Ea. Here she is discovering watermelon. She also figured out that cold bottles are fabulous for teething but "shhh", don't tell her dad that she prefers the good beer!Then as part of the A&K Summer Tour '08 we traveled south to another bit of ocean in Avalon, NJ, where we met up with Krissy's best friend from growing up. We had a few gloriously lazy days chilling at the beach and tossing back cold ones with the Deck family in their sweet little summer casa.


Below is what you get when you cross an ex-military man with a love of summer camping. Arguably one of the best kindling containers I've ever seen. ...makes me laugh every time.
Our summer camping trips with the Dunkle clan are always a good time. This year we trekked a short distance into PA for a long, relaxing weekend in the woods. Janaya, Krissy's niece, is now in her twos and there is nothing terrible about it. A bundle of energy she is. Here we are pre-breakfast and much time poolside.
Eventually we had to come back to the city and it was nice to be home. Back to the grind, back to the "Great Search '08" for those of you in the know. One afternoon I was able to get a sneak peak of a portion of the High Line I had never seen before. Among other things, like the insane storms that have been rolling through the city, I was able to see some killer graffiti for the first time. Now, I'm no street art aficionado, but I loved "on tha radar". Not to mention graffiti always makes me think of my friend Erika. I don't know why, I just think she has a good appreciation for it.
But then the biggest news for us came much more recently. Allow me to introduce the newest member of our family, Melvin Motorboat. Melvin was an abused kitty who Krissy discovered while working at ASPCA. Even though the case is still open, and he is not yet up for adoption, we have been allowed to foster Melvin at home until his arm is better and he's back on all fours again. Well, not that he's not trying, this little guy is a total bundle of energy and we already love him like a member of the family.
Why "Motorboat" you might ask? Sure enough this little guy is a purr machine. According to his file he scratched his previous owner and she decided to toss his ass, causing head trauma and a broken arm. Geez, how can people be so mean and stupid?!?! I mean, look at this, litte bit of terrific.

Chat with you all again shortly when I don't have to race off. Hope you are all enjoying your respective summers. Cheers,

"Half Harvest"

On the subway the iPod is on shuffle. Yet something chimes with my restlessness.

"But I'd rather feel the heat of August,
Than be sheltered and numb"

Michael Penn, March